Method and apparatus for separating and loosening tobacco leaf bundles



Feb. 17, 1959 H. SCHLOSSMACHER 2,

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEFARATING AND LOOSENING TOBACCO LEAF BUNDLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Au 26, 1955 uhtorzzeys SCHLOSSMACHER METHOD AND. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AND LOOSENING TOBACCO LEAF BUNDLES Filed Aug. 26, 1955 Feb. 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEIGTOR. )[zzerl ,S'cizlassmac/zer AWZZJWW flzftarneys United States Patent Ofiice 2,873,747 Patented Feb. 17, 1959 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AND LOOSENING TOBACCO LEAF BUNDLES Hubert Schlossmacher, Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany,

assignor to Kurt Korber & Co., K.-G., Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany Application August 26, 1955, Serial No. 530,763

'13 claims. or. 131-149 This invention relates generally to tobacco leaf bundle separation and more particularly to improvements in such apparatus wherein successive stages of tobacco leaf bundle and tobacco cluster agitation by diifering means'affords essentially separation of the tobacco leaves.

It is known in the art'to separate the tobacco leaf bundles by hand or .by pneumatic means. conventionally, the bundles are hand-crushed and hand-fed or otherwise conveyed to a pneumatic separation installation. Attempts have also been made to separate the bundles in a mechanical installation, by conveying the bundles downwardly between two ratchet rollers, disposed in operating relation with each other.

But these separation methods are not satisfactory. After the bundles pass the ratchet rollers, substantial parts of the tobacco bundles are not separated, requiring separation by hand or handling between rollers of wave-shaped profile, or between endless wave-shaped conveyors where the leaves are finally separated by alternate bending of the leaves between the rollers.

It has also been suggested that mechanical separation of the tobacco leaves be eliminated and using instead a purely pneumatic means. stallation, the leaves are introduced into a sucking channel provided with several sections of substantially reduced cross section. Parts of-the bundles are whirled around the respective sections of the channel and the loosened tobacco leaves sucked away by the air stream to be discharged at a predetermined place.

But this method is also unsatisfactory; the separation installation requires substantial space and like the other referred to above, necessitates a large amount of hand operation.

The new method of the present invention and the apparatus for practicing the inventive method eliminate these disadvantages. The installation of the present invention can be easily assembled and operated. The present-invention comprises also a method with several steps in that first the wrapping is removed from the bundles, the tobacco material is placed on an oscillating conveyor where the tobacco leaf bundles are subjected to oscillating forces of the nature of impacts or impulses. The material is further fed into a separation installation and the fully loosened tobacco material is conveyed over a pneumatic sifter to the mixing plant.

The installation for practicing the above described separation operation comprises in general an oscillating conveyor having a grate-shaped conveying surface. Underneath this conveyor a receptacle is disposed for receiving the loosened tobacco leaf bundles. means to a separation installation follow the above conveyor.

Two modifications of the method and the apparatus for separation and loosening of the tobacco leaf bundles, according to the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig.1 shows schematically one embodiment, and

In the penumatic type of in- Conveying Fig. 2 shows a further embodiment of the present invention, while Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 illustrate each a different type of roller used for separation of the tobacco leaves.

Fig. 4a is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 4a4a of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrows to illustrate the rotatable protective sleeves and Fig. 5a is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 5a5a of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrows to illustrate the rotatable grate bars.

Referring to Fig. 1, first the outer wrapping 3 is removed from the tobacco bundle 1 on the charging table 2. The bundles are placed on a stationary roller carrier 5 comprising driven rollers 4 which carry and convey the bundles to the oscillating conveyor 6. The conveyor 6 is supported by inclined guiding springs 7. The surface of the conveyor comprises rods 8 disposed transversely of the conveyor 6 and at predetermined distances and forming a vibratory roller grate surface. The roller conveyor 1 includes parallel side frame members 5 and a Y series of spaced rollers 4 which have their ends rotatably mounted in the side rails and constitute a roller path or carrier 5.

In contrast to conventional oscillating conveyors, requiring substantial acceleration of the conveyor material 7 and having a large horizontal acceleration component a in both directions of its to and fro movement.

of the crank mechanism 7 is appropriately adjusted and.

the relation of the crank rods is accordingly dimensioned so that the supporting springs 7 will flex an equal amount The frequency and magnitude of the impulses'and their forces applied to the tobacco bundles is thus substantially increased, assuring satisfactory loosening of the tobacco leaves in the bundles along their path on the oscillating conveyor. a

The small groups of unseparated leaves and the "single leaves, separated from the bundles by oscillation, drop between the rods 4 and 8 onto the plate 9, disposed underneath the conveyor 6. A casing 10 is mounted adjacent one end of said plate 9 and is provided with a baffle or wall 10 extending beneath the discharge end of said plate 9. Said plate 9 oscillates together with the conveyor 6. The separated leaves, together with the loose leaf clusters and bundles are transpored upwardly along the inclined conveyor 11. The conveyor 11 is provided with flights 24, operating in the direction of the arrow 11'. The two toothed rollers 12 and 13 provided at the top of the conveyor 11 and rotating in the direction of the arrows 12 and 13, respectively, prevent piling up I of the'tobacco leaves on the conveyor. Thus, a uniform amount of tobacco leaves is steadily supplied to the charging channel 14 of the adjacent separation installation.

The leaves and leaf groups, pressed together, drop into the charging channel. A spike roller 15 with spikes 16 picks up the leaves and carriesthe samethrough two rows of spikes 17. The leaves are here further separated groups. The leaf groups are separated by these rollers by carrying the leaves through a further set of spike rows 17 where the leaves are finally separated. A further conveyor 18" carries these leaves to a further sitter 19 which is connected to a takeoff duct 1%. Both sitters 19 and 19' carry the separated leaves in a conventional manner to the mixing installation pneumatically.

The heavier stem parts of the tobacco leaves and eventually some remaining leaf groups drop into a container 21 disposed underneath the second sifter 19'. The contents of this container is again fed into the separation installation, after the stems of the leaves have been removed.

Fig. 2 shows a similar installation. The single leaves from the loosened tobacco bundles and the groups of leaves, under the action of the impulses of the oscillating conveyor 6a drop between the grate rods 8 on a conveyor 22, moving in the direction of the arrow 22. At a point 23, the leaves are picked up in a conventional manner by flight pins 24 provided on the inclined conveyor 25. These leaves are engaged by pins 24 and combed to separate the same from one another and then carried over the top of said conveyor to the charging channel 26 of the separation installation by the pins 24. An appropriately designed carding roller 27 prevents the leaves from sticking to the conveyor. The separation installation is the same as in the previously described modification. The loosening rollers 15a and 15a are disposed directly each near the other without an intermediate conveyor between them. The leaves emerging from the spike roller 15a drop directly to the spike roller 15a, rotating in opposite direction. They are then carried through the spike rows 17a and 17a and by the conveyor 13a to the sitter 19a. After that, the leaves are treated substantially in the same manner as in the first-mentioned modification. The sifter 19a" is connected to a pneumatic manifold 19a similar to the manifold 19a disclosed in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 shows one of the rollers that may be used in the modifications illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 in place of the rollers 15, 15', 15a, and 15a, respectively. The drum 15b is provided with a series of radially arranged rows of spikes 16b disposed to pass between fixed spikes 17b.

Figures 4 and 4a show a modification of a detail of the device shown in Fig. 3. The spikes 28 which are firmly fastened to the drum or roller 15c, are covered with appropriate sleeves 29 which are rotatably dispose-d and mounted on the spikes or shafts 28. When the tobacco leaves are carried through the rows of spikes 2911, which may be covered in the same way as the spikes 28, the tobacco material is protected in a better manner from tearing the tobacco leaves. The rotating sleeves of the respective spikes reduce the friction between the leaves and spikes and thus substantially protect the tobacco leaves from being damaged.

A grate roller 30 and cooperating grate roller bar 33 is optionally used in the installation to replace the spiked rollers'shown in Figures 1 and 2 as at 15, 15' and 15a, and 1511, as shown in Figs. 5 and 5a. The grate rods 3?. are rotatably fastened to the end surfaces 36 of the rollers, disposed at both sides of the grate rollers as shown in detail in Figure 5a. A grate 33 is provided underneath the grate roller 30, the dimensions of which correspond to the dimensions of the roller. Rods 32 are rotatably fastened in appropriate manner to the walls of the frame as illustrated in detail in Fig. 5a. According to the present modification, the leaves, at least one part of them, drop between the rods 31 of the grate rollers 30 which are rotating in the direction of the arrow 39'. The other part of the leaves is picked up by the grate rods 31, and disposed along the lower rim of the roller 30, so that said leaves are separated from each other when carried between the rollers 31 and the grate rods 32 of the stationary grate. These leaves then drop through the grate 33 on the respective conveyors 18 and 18'. 7

Two spike rows 36 at an angle of relative to each otherare fastened to the roller-boss 34 in a modification of the present invention, shown in Fig. 6. The respective ends of these spikes 36 are bent over in such a manner as to run tangentially in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the roller. As shown in the drawing, the spikes 36 are all in the same plane, but if so desired, they can be disposed at random relative to each other, or in the form of a helix along the surface of the roller-boss. A grate 33a, similar to the grate shown in Fig. 5, is disposed underneath the roller. The last mentioned modification was found to be the most eflicient in instances when larger leaf agglomerations had to be separated.

Different modifications and combinations of the rollers, shown in Figs. 4- to 6, can be used in installations as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for separating and loosening tobacco leaf bundles comprising an oscillating grate having transverse gate bars on which the bundles are placed, oscillating conveyor means disposed beneath said oscillating grates adapted to receive tobacco material dropping through said grates, a second conveyor adapted to receive tobacco material discharged from said oscillating conveyor, rotatable wheels provided with spikes disposed above said second conveyor adapted to engage and agitate tobacco material on said second conveyor, rotatable agitating means receiving tobacco material from the discharge end of said second conveyor, and sifter means adapted to receive tobacco material from said rotatable agitating means.

2. Apparatus for separating, agitating, and loosening tobacco leaf bundles comprising oscillating grates having transverse spaced grate bars on which the tobacco bundles may be placed, conveyor means disposed beneath said oscillating grates adapted to receive tobacco material passing through said grates, an inclined conveyor disposed to receive tobacco material discharged from said conveyor means, roller means at the end of discharge of said inclined conveyor for removing tobacco material therefrom, rotatable agitating means receiving tobacco material from below the discharge end of said inclined tobacco conveyor, and sifter means adapted to receive tobacco material from said rotatable agitating means.

3. Apparatus for separating, agitating and loosening tobacco leaf bundles comprising oscillating grates having transverse spaced grate bars on which the tobacco bundles are placed, inclined guide springs supporting said oscillating grates, conveyor means disposed beneath.

said oscillating grates to receive tobacco material passing through said grates, an inclined conveyor adjacent the discharge end of said conveyor means disposed to receive tobacco material discharged from said conveyor means, a roller at the discharge end of said inclined conveyor for removing tobacco therefrom, rotatable agitating means adapted to receive tobacco material from the discharge end of said inclined conveyor, and sifter means adapted to receive tobacco material from said rotatable agitating means.

4.,Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said rotatable means comprises rotatable rollers having spikes attached thereto for receiving loosened tobacco material so that it falls by gravity from said additional conveying means, stationary spikes cooperating with said rollers provided with attached spikes, for agitating and separating the tobacco leaves, and sleeves rotatably mounted on said stationary spikes and said spikes attached to said rollers thereby affording protection for said spikes.

5. A method for separating, loosening and mixing of the leaves of tobacco leaf bundles which are in a compressed state after the outer wrapper is removed from the bundles, and to condition the tobacco leaves by loosening the same from the bundles prior to mixing,

which comprises the steps of subjecting the bundles to vibratory movement produced by oscillating impulses, conveying the separated and partially separated tobacco leaves upwardly and allowing them to fall by gravity to loosen and further separate said leaves, and thereafter agitating and further separating the loosened, separated and partially separated tobacco leaves in a separate installation, and finally sifting said leaves and delivering, when fully separated, to a mixing plant.

6. A method for separating, loosening and mixing of the leaves of tobacco leaf bundles which are in a compressed state after the outer wrapper is removed from the bundles, and to condition the tobacco leaves by loosening the same from the bundles prior to mixing, which comprises steps of subjecting the bundles to vibratory movement and oscillating impulses produced by an oscillating means having a vertical and horizontal shaking motion the component movements of which are substantially equal, conveying the leaves upwardly and allowing them to fall by gravity to further separate the leaves one from another, and thereafter separating the loosened tobacco leaves by subjecting the same to agitation in a separate installation, and finally sifting and conveying the tobacco leaves which have been fully separated to a mixing plant.

7. Apparatus for loosening tobacco leaf bundles, com prising oscillating grates having transverse grate bars on which the bundles are adapted to be placed, conveying means disposed beneath said grates to receive separated tobacco leaves dropping from said grates, additional conveying means for conveying the tobacco leaves upwardly and allowing them to fall by gravity, and a separating and agitating installation disposed adjacent the discharge end of said additional conveyor means to receive tobacco leaves as they fall by gravity therefrom and further agitate and separate said tobacco leaves.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said separating and agitation installation comprises rotatable agitators having agitating elements adapted to receive loosened tobacco leaves as they fall by gravity from said additional conveyor means and stationary means cooperating with said rotatable agitating element for agitating and separating the tobacco leaves.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said separating and agitating installation comprises, stationary spikes, and rotatable rolls provided with spikes cooperating with said stationary spikes adapted to receive loosened tobacco material and leaves as they fall by gravity from said additional conveying means and cooperating with said stationary spikes for agitating and separating tobacco leaves.

10. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said separating and agitating installation comprises rotatable receiving grate bar rollers and fixed grate bars adapted to receive the loosened tobacco leaves as they fall by gravity from said additional conveyor means and cooperating with said fixed grate bars to further agaitate and separate the tobacco leaves.

11. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said separating and agitating installation comprises stationary spikes and rotatable rolls provided with said last mentioned spikes adapted to receive loosened tobacco material and leaves as they fall by gravity from said additional conveyor means and said spikes cooperating with said stationary spikes for agitation and separation of tobacco leaves, and sleeves rotatably mounted on said spikes for protecting said stationary spikes and the spikes provided on said rollers.

12. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said separating and agitating installation comprises rotatable grate rollers having rotatable grate bars arranged around their periphery for receiving loosened tobacco material and leaves as they fall by gravity from said additional conveyor means, and stationary grate bars disposed beneath said rotatable rollers to further agitate and separate tobacco material, said grate bars being rotatable to rotate about a longitudinal axis during their cooperation with the rotatable grate bars on said rotatable grate rollers.

13. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which said separating and agitating installation comprises rotatable rolls provided with spikes, said spikes being radially disposed with their ends located in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the rollers for receiving loosened tobacco leaves and material, and fixed spikes cooperating with the first mentioned spikes on said roller disposed in close proximity to the ends of the said first mentioned spikes on said rolls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 635,076 Perkins Oct. 17, 1899 2,208,896 Dahlstrom et a1. July 23, 1940 2,667,174 Eissmann Jan. 26, 1954 

